Wringer roll stop



April 1945- T. R. SMITH WRINGER ROLL STOP Filed March 29, 1943 gmmlz IN VEN TOR.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/I/II/ Patented Apr. 24, 1945 WBINGER ROLL STOP Thomas RQSmith, Newton, Iowa, assignor to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, a corpora? tion of Delaware Application March 29, 1943, Serial No. 4 80,904 3 Claims. (o1. ss-zssif Thepresent inventionrelates to wringer mech-' anism and especially to a novel roll stop for quickly disconnecting power to the wringer rolls whenever the pressure between therolls isreleased and the rolls separated. This permits the operator toquickly release the pressure between I the rolls as incase her clothing, fingers, etc., get

caught between the rolls. In most constructions of wringers the power is applied to one and generally the lower roll, and should that roll continue to rotate after the pressure between the rolls has been released, additional damage or injury may be done.

In the present construction, when the pressure between the rolls is released power to the rolls is simultaneously disconnected and these rolls are automatically stopped. This is accomplished through a novel drive assembly and mounting for the driven end of the lower. roll whereby at the instant pressure is relieved from this roll, the drive thereto is automatically disconnected.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efliciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment,

direction through any suitable drive mechanism such as a pair I of opposed drive pinions (not shown). The bevel gear or pinion I is pinned or keyed at 2 tea shaft'3 rotatable in the bearing 4. This wringer roll drive shaft bearing 4 is provided or formed with a sleeve 5 housed within a part 6 of the'wringer frame and having an 'oil or lubricant cavity 1 and an eccentrically disposed enlargement forming a'bearing 8 in which is carried an internal gear 9. The shaft 3 at its inner 'end is provided with teeth forming a spur gear III adapted to mesh with the internal teeth on the large internal gear 9.

The lower roll II is provided with a roll. shaft l2 having its end provided with teeth forming a spur gear I3. The spur gears Ill and I3 being simi lar and the shafts 3 and I2 being normally located in alignment with the drive between them maintained by means of the internal gear 9 engaging both gears at the same time, a 1 to 1 ratio of transmission is obtained. By applying a downward pressure through any suitable spring ten- I sion means S to the shaft I4 of the upper roll I5,

it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view, part in vertical cross section and part in side elevation, of the novel roll stop and associated mechanism.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical cross section taken in a plane represented by the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

The novel embodimentof roll stop shown in the drawing is so designed, constructed and arranged that it may be readily applied to various types and constructions of wringers in which the lower roll is the drive roll and when pressure is applied to the upper r011, this roll is forced into contact with the lower roll. One type of wringer constructed and, operated in this manner and to which the present roll stop is applicable, is shown in my ,co-pending application Serial No. 312,556, filed January 5, 1940.

In the disclosed illustrative embodiment the bevel gear or pinion I is driven in either desired this roll is forced downwardly and engages the lower roll with suflicient pressure to be rotated thereby and to extract waterfrom the clothes fed to and passing between the rolls, and the spur gear I3 is retained in meshing engagement with r the internal gear 9.

In order to disconnect the drive connection to the lower roll II when pressure is relieved from the upper roll I5 to thereby permit the rolls to be separated, the invention comprehends a springactuated block disposed beneath the drive end of the lower roll. This block comprises a coil spring I6 disposed in a pocket or cavity I I shown as constructed or formed in an extension I8 of the wringer frame, 6. This spring tends to force upwardly the adjacent end of the roll shaft l2 cradled within a bushing I9 carried within the loosely mounted bearing 20. Thus whenever the pressure is relieved from the upper roll, this roll in turn relieves the pressure on the lower roll and the coil spring I6 forces the bearing 20 and adjacent end of the lower roll shaft I2 upwardly,

thereby disengaging the spur gear I3 from its meshing engagement with the internal gear 9 and stopping rotation of the lower drive roll I I.

When the tension is again applied to the upper rollshaft I4, the upper roll I5 is depressed and it in turn depresses the end of the lower roll [I adjacent the spur gear I3, thereby compressing the coil spring I6 and causing the gear I3 to again mesh with the internal gear 9, so that when power is supplied to the bevel pinion I and its shaft 3 is rotated in either direction, the spur gear [0, internal gear 9 and spur gear l3 are driven in the desired direction.

A cover 2| for the wringer frame bearing 8 is shown as anchored thereto by means of suitable securing means such as the screws 22 and partially encloses the internal gear 9.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A roll :stop for a power drivenwringer having an upper and a lower roll and a drive shaft, a driven shaft carrying the lower roll, a spur gear on the end of the drive shaft and a similar spur gear on the adjacent end of the driven shaft, ,an internal gear with which the spur gear on the drive shaft meshes, tension means for applying pressure to the rollswhen these rolls are moved to operative position, and means for elevating the spur gear end of the driven shaft to theizebydisconnect the driving connection to the .driven shaft, the axes of the spur gear of the drive shaft and the :spur gear of the driven shaft being in axial alignment when rolls are. in ioperatiwe position..- 7 a i lnawpower driven wninger having an upper and ;a lower pressure roll and tension means for pp yin pressure to the rolls when inoperative position, a drive shaft, a g aron :amend of the with the gear on the drive shaft, a gear on the lower pressure r011 also adapted to mesh with the internal gear when pressure is applied to the rolls, and means for disengaging the gear on the lower pressure roll when tension upon the rolls is released to thereby disconnect the driving connection to the rolls, the drive shaft gear and the lower pressure roll gear. being in axial alignment when the rolls rare in operative position.

3. In a power driven wringer having an upper and a lower pressure roll and tension means for applying pressure to the rolls when in operative position, a drive shaft, a gear on an end of the drive shaft, an internal gear inmesh with the gear on the drive shaft, a gear on an end of the lower r0111 adapted to be moved into meshing engagement with the internal gear when pressure is pplied to :the rolls :and thereby drive the lower roll, and tension means held under compression 20 while the rolls are in operative position but im- 25 drive :shaft gear and the lower roll gear bein in axial alignment when the rolls, are in 'operdrive shaft, an internal ,gear in continuous mesh mediately upon release of the pressure ap lied to the lower roll elevating its gear and disengagin this gear from theinternalrgear to thereby 1dis- I connectrthe, driving connection to the rolls, the

atit'eposition.

- THOMAS :SMI'IH. 

